One-year order targets mislabelling, adulteration and use of non-milk fats in paneer
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh: The Himachal Pradesh government has imposed a one-year ban on the production, storage, supply and sale of non-dairy “analogue paneer” when it is marketed or presented as genuine dairy paneer across the state.
The order, issued by Food Safety Commissioner Ashish Singhmar under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has taken immediate effect. The move follows inspections and laboratory testing conducted by the state Food Safety Department, which reportedly identified cases involving adulteration, misleading labelling and inadequate product traceability.
Vegetable fats found in paneer-like products
According to officials, some suppliers were using vegetable oils and other non-dairy fats in place of milk fat to manufacture paneer-like products.
The concern arose when these products were subsequently sold or represented to consumers as conventional dairy paneer.
Authorities also identified instances where products were supplied without appropriate labels, purchase bills or documentation establishing their source.
The government has therefore directed food businesses not to manufacture, transport, store or sell products containing non-milk fats under the name “paneer” unless they meet applicable standards and are clearly identified as non-dairy alternatives.
Restaurants and catering businesses also covered
The restrictions extend beyond manufacturers and suppliers.
Restaurants, hotels, cloud kitchens, hostels, dhabas and catering businesses are also prohibited from using synthetic or analogue paneer in dishes that are described simply as paneer on their menus.
Where businesses use a non-dairy alternative, consumers must be clearly informed about the nature of the product.
This provision is intended to prevent consumers from unknowingly purchasing food marketed as paneer when the underlying ingredient is a non-dairy substitute.
Traceability requirements strengthened
The order also places emphasis on documentation and traceability throughout the supply chain.
Food businesses are required to maintain appropriate purchase invoices, batch information and product labels in accordance with food safety regulations.
These records can help authorities identify where products originated and trace potentially non-compliant products through the distribution chain.
| Area | Requirement under the order |
|---|---|
| Production | Non-dairy products cannot be sold as genuine paneer |
| Storage | Non-compliant analogue paneer cannot be stored for sale as paneer |
| Transportation | Products misrepresented as paneer cannot be transported |
| Restaurants | Analogue paneer must not be presented as dairy paneer |
| Menus | Customers must be informed when a non-dairy alternative is used |
| Documentation | Bills, batch details and labels must be maintained |
| Enforcement | Officers can inspect, sample and seize non-compliant products |
Food Safety Department given enforcement powers
Food Safety Officers can inspect establishments, collect samples and take action against products that fail to comply with the order and applicable food safety regulations.
Enforcement measures may include seizure, recall or destruction of non-compliant products.
Businesses found selling substandard or misbranded products could also face legal proceedings under food safety legislation.
The action reflects growing regulatory attention toward the authenticity and labelling of dairy products, particularly where consumers may be misled about whether a product contains genuine milk-derived ingredients.
Non-dairy alternatives are not completely prohibited
The Himachal Pradesh government has clarified that the order does not constitute a blanket ban on all non-dairy paneer alternatives.
Products that meet applicable standards can continue to be manufactured and sold, provided they are correctly labelled and are not represented to consumers as genuine dairy paneer.
The distinction is therefore between a compliant, properly identified alternative and a product that uses non-milk fats but is marketed as conventional paneer.
Focus on consumer protection
The Himachal Pradesh action comes amid wider concerns around food adulteration and misleading dairy-product claims in India.
For consumers, accurate labelling is particularly important because paneer is widely used across restaurants, catering operations and households.
By strengthening product traceability and restricting the sale of analogue products as genuine paneer, authorities aim to improve transparency across the dairy and food-service supply chain.
The one-year order is expected to place greater responsibility on manufacturers, suppliers and food-service businesses to verify their products, maintain documentation and communicate clearly with consumers.